European leaders are urging restraint after a wave of retaliatory Israeli strikes targeted Iranian military sites.

France: The French foreign ministry cautioned against any further escalation, writing in a statement: “France has learned of Israel’s announcement of strikes against military targets in Iran last night … France immediately urges the parties to refrain from any escalation or action likely to aggravate the context of the extreme tension prevailing in the region.”

Switzerland: The country’s foreign ministry wrote in a statement on X: “Switzerland condemns the dangerous escalation of violence in the Middle East, including today’s Israel airstrikes in Iran.

“Hostilities must cease on all sides to avoid the worsening of the regional escalation.”

Germany: Chancellor Olaf Scholz stressed that Israel had said they “tried to minimize personal injury” during the attacks, adding that “this provides an opportunity to avoid further escalation.” “My message to Iran is clear: Massive reactions of escalation must not continue. This must end now. Then there will be an opportunity for peaceful development in the Middle East,” Scholz continued in a post on X.

Iran has said Israel’s strikes early Saturday caused “limited damage” although two soldiers were killed. The strikes have long been expected and come as Israel mounts a major operation in northern Gaza and against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon.